I open the door to leave while chuckling. Seeing Xerena was helpful on keeping me relaxed after today's events, however, it still weighed me down. Heightening my stress, unfortunately, a messenger rushes up to me. Her face is gleaming despite how exhausted it looked added on to the fact she was completely out of breath.

"General... Kaede" She bends over coughing and I wait patiently for her to continue. "It's nice to see you back Ma'am! Ah!" Slinging over her bag to the front she quickly checks through it. "Almost forgot! Let's see... Here we go. From the Lord, Ma'am!"

The news of my return seems to have spread fast through the wrong people, though then again I am at fault for walking around in the open too. I accept the summons from the girl, tipping her some coin for her troubles. All around me I could feel that stares were collecting onto my person so I made my way out of the Barracks portion of the capitol. The regular streets of our Capitol were a vast difference compared to where the army is trained and stationed. As the Barracks were architecturally bleak and intimidating, the rest of Pyrhh comprised of bustling marketplaces and rising towers. Gardens sprout plenty where you walk with people caring for them carefully and occasionally you cross over the occasional canal crossing through the city for trade. Past this, slightly raised on a hill, as an excessively large palace rising higher than some of the central town towers. I begin a fairly long walk towards the palace, eager for a peaceful walk through town as I haven't been in Pyrhh a while. Over the course of an hour while walking I mostly had to remember what my nation felt like to walk through. For the most part, the gender ratio between female and male is vastly in the females numbers. Males are an exceptionally rare thing to happen, and when it does happen their birth usually starts political infighting and attempted assassinations. Such is the way of our ancient laws where the Males tend to be leaders of power. The only stipulation to that law, however, is that they must fight for their power in the politics. I mean that in a literal sense, they physically fight in a duel. This is how our kind settles most of our problems, the stronger side wins the argument in what we call Honor Duels.

Occasionally as I'm going down the streets I would run into those willing to try their test against me. I usually don't humor them as it's publicly known that I was the strongest Fire Kraeka alive and none, not even our Lord, has ever bested me in a fight. Today though I felt a need to vent a little so I accepted a few along the way, just to humor everyone happy I was back. I tipped food vendors as I walked by, showed off my prowess with aura at least once, and even gave blessings for matrimony. All in all my overall mood had vastly improved before I finally arrived at the gates to the palace three hours later. Just the sight of me causes the nearby guards to hurriedly open the gates with loud yelling into the palace interior at my arrival. They swing open with a booming croak given the sheer size of them. Behind the doors were lines of Fire Kraeka facing towards each other with room for a pathway between them leading up to the main Palace building. Standing in front of them merely inches of the large wooden doors hitting him, was a sleekly built Male adorned in many colors. His composure is fair though threatening enough as if to dare someone to make him angry.

"Great General." The man before me bows in a swift motion of surprise to most around.

"My lord...?" I bow back in confusion. I rise up after he does and follow beside him to walk towards the palace. "Out of all the people to greet me on my arrival... I was expecting a more angry reception."

He straightens himself while grinning. "I was more concerned on the fool's errand that you had been sent on. We did nothing but anger people while also lose fine soldiers. Your surviving the ordeal is not surprising to me, however, those in the political circle expected other results it seems." His grin fades, a wave of dark anger replacing it. "Whatever scheme they are trying is the worst decision they could have made. I sadly have no proof of their intention, only apologies to learning about your dispatch too late." We stopped at the front entrance to the palace as he grabbed my hand and lightly pressed his lips to my knuckle. "I humbly ask for forgiveness Lady Kaede."

My kind blushes in a more visual way than the humans do with their face. My eyes flare up and the armor I was wearing glows a light red as a thin layer of flames surround my body. "Your Lordship that's- don't degrade yourself in public like that!" I accept the gesture nonetheless as he stands back up, eyes twinkling in contrast to his appearance.

"Come." He gestures with his hands while laughing. "Let the rumors spread while they can for it's not the rumors I fear today." He waits patiently for the Palace doors to slam behind us before he shoos away the guards escorting him. He leads me to a side room off the main way and shuts the door behind us. "There's..." His tone grows dark which brings the mood I was in down a tiny notch. "There's a lot of commotion among the other political heads," He continued as he turns his back to the door while facing me. "A lot of behind the back speakers. They're being secretive about something and I don't like it." His brow furrows while he continues to look in my direction. "You know I didn't even know you were sent to Commerce."

"What? I thought it was on your order though!" I was caught completely off guard by this. I had been sent to Commerce with orders to take over a critical base with a selection of troops so that our influence could spread in the area. I thought comes to my mind. "My Lord... Did you summon for me?"

"Yes. Only because I wanted to speak with you before they found out. By now I'm sure the word has gotten to them, as the inner guards were gossiping when I stood at the gate." His stern look gave me concern now that I had arrived from a failed mission. They hold power over me whether I was stronger or not. Laws created a way into our ancient times as beings that rose this World where the rare children of men in Fire Kraeka Society were destined to be our leaders. It was how it was whether either side in politics liked it or not. "Now dearest Kaede. I have trusted you as my Great General for a long time, back when we had dueled and I learned that we are not preordained to just be stronger or to be natural born leaders. I entrusted you with power second to my own."

"This much I know My Lord" I look around the room to notice a few chairs littering the floor here and there.

"Kaede you don't have to call me by my title." He sits down in one of the chairs. "Same reason I don't call you by yours."

"Fine Loate." My breath escapes before I could stop it. Following his lead, I sit down into a chair across the way. "Your point still awaits to be said Lo-a-te." I slow on the pronunciation, leaning forward on each syllable.

"My point is, Kaede, that the younger generation feels my trust in you is wrong. I have no proof against them, to prove they have been trying to make dealings behind my back to tear the political field apart." Loate looks glumly down in thought.

"Plot or no plot my loss out there was unacceptable." When I say this he looks back up to me in confusion.

"You... I don't think I heard that right." He stutters slightly, his hand outstretched. "Cause it sounded to me like you just said-"

"Yes. I lost a battle. A skirmish. A failed siege. An embarrassment to my honor to a simple Human girl." Shaky waves of air reach my lungs from my obvious discomfort over talking about this to him. "I could have still captured the area, however, the girl was a descendant of the Kazashi. Fighting more was beyond pointless and I would have fallen too."

"This is really important news. Gods curse the dirt I didn't want to have to tell them anything about your return other than you succeeded. They have to know a Kazashi has survived." Loate Clambers out of his chair to dash across the room towards the door he had shut earlier. I try to get up to stop him just to falter as the door opens to another Fire Kraeka behind it. This one is also male, though shorter than Loate and not as well built. It was a Political Head, or I would see the Head of all of our national interests that don't befall the Lord. The man looks between the two of us for only a moment.

"Sister. Lord Loate." He briskly walks into the room and shuts the door behind him once more. "If I was able to find you both here I'm sure the whole Palace realizes Kaede is back. I've already passed several messengers dashing here and there and even received several myself." He sits down and begins to bring out several rolled up papers. "They all say the same thing, of course, The Great General is back. Only a few have rumors of bad news and I'm the first that isn't our lord to have heard about it." I relax a little when a smile spreads over his face.

"Brother I almost had a panic attack, you do realize that?"

"Yes... House Head Tola.." Loate slowly paced himself back into a chair. "They must be scrambling for a meeting then, yes?"

My brother's smile freezes. "Y-yes your lordship. I'm afraid they seem to be in... flustered." Loate continues glaring at Tola before my brother turned to me. "If you're concerned the only thing I really heard in the conversation was the part about a Kazashi?"

Loate sighs. "That's what Kaede here said, though even I have a hard time believing it. It is an issue that must be brought up in whatever meeting they present. What date had they set for it?"

"With luck tomorrow at the earliest, if it helps that I have that final say." Joyfulness had returned on his face as he claps his hands to his knee. "She shouldn't have to be part of this nonsense on the day of her return! No heavens not! Why she should be... I don't know... partying! Enjoying a good brew!"

I laugh at the thought. "Yes, brother I feel that at this point I could contest with an Earthen one."

"Tomorrow works for me as well." Lord Loate tries to be serious but the corners of his mouth tell otherwise. "Gods know what the other heads wanted out of this excursion anyway. Alright!" He stands swiftly and with an unnecessary flourish. "Then I should get back to my study and prepare for the day tomorrow. If the two of you would understand. House Head. Great General." Loate bowed to the two of us before walking out of the room. Before the doors shut I could hear the voices of many messengers greet him with letters in waves. Once the door clicked my brother turned to face me and whisper.

"You're telling me you LOST?!" The decibel of his whisper almost sounded like he could shout. "Are you sure it was wise to tell the Lord that? That mission was critical! You didn't bring up the long-dead Kazashi's as a scapegoat did you?"

"Now why, dearest brother, would I lie to our Lord?" I felt the anger rise up inside me. "Yes. I lost. Gods it was bound to happen eventually after two thousand years of not fighting. Look the girl took the aura out of their bodies and used it against them. The fight didn't even last that long before all fifty soldiers I had with me. Were. Dead." I realized I was standing. I straighten my armor up before sitting back down with a huff.

"Alright alright, sister. You're passionate enough about it then obviously I will believe you." He sighs uncomfortably. "Convincing everyone else that was reason enough for the failure will be rough. For your sake, I will try what I can just know I'm no miracle worker."

I glare at him. "Pity is nothing I expect. Never have nor I never will." I spit to my side. "Curse fools who never knew battle outside an Honor Duel." The memory of allies falling around me lingers as if it was still the second war. During that time of about two thousand years ago, I had helped defend our city while it was being besieged. The Humans had gained allies in their Kraeka brethren that share their name, and their combined wits and monstrous strength proved incredibly hard to deal with. I barely survived that battle, meaning this city barely survived that battle. The scars may visibly be gone but the memories remain.

"Kaede... Hello Kaede? You worry me when you start off like that are you alright?"

I snap back into reality. "Gods know I'm not, do you know what I've dealt with in my lifetime? I'm tired of the senseless fighting." This time I get up to pace around. "Just let the Humans be. Is it that hard? Have we learned nothing from our previous wars?"

"They hate us more with every small generation they have and you know that!" My brother had stood up, not whispering anymore.

"Yeah and what of their Kraeka counterpart? You think they have a say in it anymore?! You think Kutaru would have wanted us to be at each other's throats like this?!" I gasp and cover my mouth as I said this. Kutaru's name was not one I wanted to throw around so easily. This causes our argument to cease abruptly in awkward silence. "Brother I'm so-"

"No, you meant what you said Kaede." He cuts me off sharply. "You would never use his name otherwise. We just simply disagree with that idea is all and we can leave it at that. As for other attacks, they'll probably keep happening. We must win back whatever positives we can recover from our old nations." Having his official robes flow behind him he briskly walks over to the door. Opening he turns back towards me. "Get some rest. Tomorrow is stress-filled for everyone."

I watch him walk out before storming out myself. Some messengers try to approach me, as do guards, but they stop realizing I'm covered in flames. Once out of the Palace gates I head into the crowded area of the markets in town.